FUNDERS
The Explorer At Large Program is led and managed by several organizations working in conjunction on Instructional Unit Design, Research and Evaluation, Production, and Management.
Initial Funder: Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC)
An Investing in Innovation (i3) validation grant (U396B100097) was awarded to the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) by the U.S. Department of Education. The Smithsonian Science Education Center is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution dedicated to transforming the teaching and learning of science for all students.
The grant was used to fund the production of 20 videos by Chanupa Media and were licensed as part of Explorer At Large's pilot program in Ohio classrooms.
Pilot Funder : Bezos Family Foundation
Chanupa Media is a Washington, DC-based production company committed to creating authentic content that engages, educates, and enlightens. Founded by Josh Bernstein in 2014 , Chanupa Media staff have created award-winning content and documentaries for audiences in over 220 countries and territories and bring a wealth of experience, insight, and passion to the mission of Explorer At Large. Everyone at Chanupa Media understands the responsibility they have to create the highest quality content to engage students and create a bridge between classrooms in schools and STEAM experts in the field.
Research and Evaluation Partner: Oregon State University
The STEM Research Center in Corvallis, Oregon is a division of Oregon State University (OSU) that conducts applied research with a broad range of partners. The Center is unique in its focus on understanding learning and engagement across all settings (in and out of school) and across the lifespan for all audiences. As XAL's Research & Evaluation Partner, Dr. Martin Storksdieck and his colleagues at OSU act as third-party assessors to determine—with brutal honesty and impartiality—what is working and what needs to be modified so that the XAL program improves from year to year.
Project Manager and Institutional Home: Little Yud Ventures
Little Yud Ventures, Inc. (LYV), a Washington, DC-based public benefit corporation, is the institutional home of Explorer At Large. Led by CEO Josh Bernstein, the LYV team oversee the management, implementation, and assessment efforts for Explorer At Large, including coordinating the efforts of all partners above. Funding and grants are coordinated, as needed, through LYV's fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas.